Man at center of police brutality accusation arrested for violation of restraining order

The man at the center of a police brutality case was arrested Wednesday night in South Philadelphia for violating a restraining order and drug possession, according to court documents.

Najee Rivera, 23, was arrested around 11 p.m. on the 1800 block of Wolf Street for an incident that occurred on the 1900 block of Durfor Street, police said.

Rivera was charged early Thursday morning with criminal trespassing, possession of a controlled substance and violation of the restraining order, which was filed by a 29-year-old female, according to police.

The controlled substance, sources said, was heroin.

In February, two Philadelphia police officers, Kevin Robinson and Sean McKnight, were charged with assaulting Rivera during a traffic stop in May 2013.

Surveillance cameras captured the incident. The recording shows the officers pull over Rivera on his motor scooter near North 7th and Somerset Streets in Kensington.

After falling off his scooter, Rivera was hit multiple times and suffered a fractured orbital bone and lacerations to his head. The officers say Rivera was resisting arrest and attempted to grab one of the officer's batons.

The District Attorney's Office, after watching the video, claimed the officers falsified their official police report.

Rivera's preliminary hearing is set for May 21 at 10 a.m.

Philly.com staff writer Alex Wigglesworth contribued to this report.